Cooling rack



Feb. 26, 1935. A. P, DIESCHER 1,992,361

COOLING RACK- Filed March 15, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES INVE/NTOR.

W 10W fi y y v WW firm ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 26, 1935. I p DfESCHER I 1,992,361

COOLING RACK I F iled Mafch 15, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVEIYTOR. /QW XQQW M WWWM A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 26, 1935. -A. P. DIESCHER COOLING .RACK

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 15, 1953 ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 26, 1935;

W/TNLSSES A. P. DIESCHER COOLING RACK Filed March 15, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

.Patented Feb. 26 w I I UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE COOLING RACK August r. Diescher, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Diescher Tube Mills, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a. corporation of Delaware Application March 15, 1933, Serial No. 660,854

16 Claims. (Cl. 80-42) My invention relates to apparatus for cooling It will be appreciated that in racks of the charcylindrical articles, and particularly to cooling acter described above the length of time availracks that are especially adapted for use in coolable for cooling is dependent upon the speed of ing tubes, pipes, rods, bars and the like. the chains along the rack. It will be understood 5 Cooling racks for'the purpose ofzcooling tubes, also that the rate at which the tubes revolve is 5 rods or other cylindrical articles that have been dependent entirely upon chain speed. In order used heretofore have generally comprised a series that the tubes may have ample time to become of parallel endless chains that pass over sprockets cooled to the desired temperature in their pasat each end of the rack and are supported upon sage across the rack, it is necessary to maintain tracks consisting of bars or channels, each chain a relatively low speed for the chains, and there 10 being in the form of alcop, the upper part resting is therefore no opportunity to increase the speed upon the tracks on the framework while the lower of rotation of the tubes in order to insure more or return part oi the chain sags between the nearly uniform cooling without shortening their sprocketsat the ends of the rack. In case the period of cooling on the rack.

rack is relatively long and the chain sags to such It has been found in practice that it is substanl5 extent that it will not clear the floor beneath the tially impossible to maintain the transverse alignrack, a suitable pit beneath the rack provides ment of the corresponding lugs of the several clearance space for the lower portion of the chains; and the result is 'to cause some of the chains. The chains are provided with lugs protubes to become bent or warped and in some cases 29 jecting above the links thereof and spaced to proto roll in directions out of parallelism with the vide pockets that will accommodate tubes of the direction of travel of the chain. Furthermore, largest diameter which the cooling rack is inthe chains are subjected toconsiderable wear, and tended to receive. it sometimes occurs that one or more of the Between each pair of chains there are provided chains will be broken and the tubes may be bent 95 rails, bars, or other form of skids that extend for because of the excessive space between actuating the full length of the cooling rack and upon lugs. which the tubes roll as they are moved .slowly Any bending of the hot tubes is apt to become forward by the chains. These supporting bars more or less permanent; and any such bending are slightly higher than the linksof the chains or curving of the tubes may cause them to slide in order that the pipes may roll along the bars instead of rolling, along the skids or bars, in so without engagement with the chain links. In which case the unequal cooling will cause them other words, the lugs of the chain cause the tubes to be permanently bent. The cost of straightento roll along their supports. ing tubes that are defective fromcauses of this In order to insure that the forward movement nature may at times equal that of producing the of the pipes 'or tubes will not exceed that of the hot tubes initially. In accordance with the 35 lugs that actuate them, the cooling rack is usually present invention, I provide acooling rack for inclined and the tubes are generally moved from tubes, pipes, rods, bars, or other cylindrical artithe lower end to the higher end of the rack. cles in which the speed of rotation of each article This arrangement insures that the tubes will bear is entirely independent of its rate of progression against the chain lugs and will normally move from one end of the cooling rack to the other. "4.0

forward at a relatively steady rate and will not While tubes are referred to specifically hereinmove faster than the lugs on the chain, a condi-, after, such use is by way of example only. The tion under which they would be stationary at tubes are supported upon a series of suitably periods and would remain so until overtaken by spaced parallel rows of continuously rotating discs the lugs of the chains. Such irregular movement which remain in their axial positions while the 45 would occur if the tubes were moved on level tubes are periodically transferred froma position supports. between two rows of discs to a succeeding and If the hot tubes were to remain stationary for similar position. The discs of each row most deany considerable period of time, such as that resirably overlap those of adjacent rows;

form, one side of the tube would be exposed to prises a series of movable bars which periodically cooling drafts from which the opposite side would lift all of the tubes that may be at that time upon be more or less protected and the tube would bethe rack and transfer each of them over. one row come bowed or curved because of the unequal of discs. The operation of transferring the tubes cooling. from one position to another may be initiated, 55

ferred to above, in case the progress was not um- The means for transferring the tubes comfor example, by a flag switch or other suitable device operated by a new tubebefore it is received by the cooling rack.

Accordingly, the cooling rack of my invention operates to rotate the tubes at a peripheral speed that may be considerably higher than would be necessary to roll them betweensucceeding positions at their normal rate of progression, whereby the tubes may be rotated at such high speeds as to cause them to be cooled uniformly and more quickly and independently of the rate at which they progress across the rack.- Furthermore, the rate of progression across the rack may be varied automatically in accordance with the rate at which hot tubes are produced, since it is only necessary to move the tubes on the rack to anticipate the receipt of a new tube for which space must be provided.

The details of my invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating an approved embodiment of the invention, and in which Fig. l is a plan view of a cooling rack constructed in accordance with my invention, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 an enlarged plan view of a portion of the cooling rack of Fig. 1; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 side elevational views of portions of the cooling rack of Fig. 1; Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 views showing progressive positions of portions of the transfer mechanism during a cycle of its operation; Figs. 12, 13

and 14 views inside elevation of guide mechanism for the transfer bars; and'Figs. 15 and 16 sections taken respectively on lines XVXV and XVIXVI of Fig. 12. a

Referring to the drawings, the cooling'rack 1 comprises a framework 2, portions of which are shown in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, and which supports a series of parallel horizontal shafts 3 extending transverselyof the rack, and the shafts having bearings 4 at each end and at suitable intermediate points thereof. As best shown in. Fig. 1, these shafts are connected at adjacent ends thereof by means of two series of gears 5 and 6 that are so arranged that all of the shaftsfi operate in the same direction.

Each shaft 3 is provided with a gear 5 and a gear 6, the relative positions of which are reversed on adjacent shafts. Each gear 5 is connected to its shaft while each gear 6 is an idler gear for connecting two gears 5 on adjacent shafts. Gears of suflicient diameter that alternate shafts may be connected thereby would interfere with the progress of tubes on the rack.

It is not desirable to provide idler gears between adjacent shafts. The shafts 3 are driven in unison by means of a motor '7 which is connected thereto by means of suitable reduction gear mechanisms 8 and *9 that are in-turn connected by gear mechanism 10 to each of the series of gears 5 and 6 that are mounted upon the shafts 3 in the manner described above.

Upon each shaft 3. is a series of discs 12 that are spaced therealong at suitableintervals that may correspond approximately to the distances between the chains ofcooling racks of the prior art. The shafts are so spaced and the discs 12 are of such diameter that the discs of adjacent shafts overlap, whereby a notch or pocket is bars 13.

tion for a series of shafts 3 and then in the opposite direction for a similar series of shafts, whereby not only may the discs overlap each other, but a tube is supported by discs at different locations along its length as the tube is success sively transferred. Such operation prevents continuous engagement of any portion of the tube with supporting means of a lower temperature, and the cooling of the tube it therefore more nearly uniform through its length. i

The means for transferring the tubes from a position in-which they are rotated between adjacent rows of discs 12 comprise a series of transfer bars 13 that extend lengthwise of the cooling rack and are spaced at suitable intervals such that they may support the tubes without danger of the latter bending or sagging between transfer bars. The number of bars may ingeneral correspond to the number of discs on each shaft for supporting the tubes.

Each transfer bar is provided with recesses or notches. 14 along its upper edge that are spaced to correspond to the distances between the tubes upon the cooling rack. The transfer bars are guided and held in upright position and caused to be moved througha cyclic path by means of a plurality of series of pairs of mechanically-connected crank discs 15 of smaller diameter than the discs 12, and that are mounted upon certain of the shafts 3 for rotation independently of their supporting shafts and directions opposite thereto. The members of each pair of crank discs are on opposite sides of the transfer One crank disc of each pair is. carried by a sleeve 16 that also carries a wormwheel 1'7. The transfer bars 13 are maintained in their up.- right positions by the crank, discs 15 on opposite sides thereof.

The several worm gears 17 for operating the series of crank discs 15 for each of the bars-l3 are driven by means of a motor 18, gear mecha'-'- nism 19, a shaft 20 extending transversely of the cooling rack, and bevel gear mechanisms 21 for connecting the shaft 20 to a series of shafts 22 extending longitudinally of the cooling rack, the shafts 22 being provided with a series of worms 23 for operating the several worm gears 1'7. By means of this arrangement, all of the crank discs for all of the transfer bars 13 are operated in synchronism to cause the bars to operate through the same cycle simultaneously. Such operation I insures that all of the tubes on the cooling rack are lifted at the several points along their lengths simultaneously and in equal amounts, and, that there will be nobending or misalignment of the tubes during their transfer.-

In the operations of the cooling rack of my invention, it may be assumed that hot tubes are supplied thereto at intervals such as those at which seamless tubes may \be delivered from a cross-roll mill. A transfer or throw-out mechanism .will ordinarily remove the completed tubes from a conveying table or receiving table and place them successively on transporting means such as the skids 24, portions of which are illustrated in Fig. 3.

A hot tube descending the skids 24 will come to rest in the first notch or pocket between the first and second rows of rotating discs 12. A tube 25 is illustrated in this position in Fig. 6. The discs 12 rotate in a counterclockwise direction and the tube is accordingly rotated in a clockwise direction, as indicated by arrows. mechanism is normally stationary, and in the usual practice its operation will be initiated by The transfer a flag switch or similar device in the path of the tubes as they are moving toward the cooling rack.

It may be assumed further that while a tube 25 occupies the position shown in Fig. 6, a succeeding tube has been supplied to the skids 24 and that a flag switch, not shown, has been operated to start the motor 18 which drives the transfer mechanism. The transfer bars 13 are at this time in positions corresponding to that of the bar 13 of Fig. 6, being supported upon the shafts 3. The

crank pin 26 of each pair of crank discs 15, which,

when stationary occupies the relative position shown in Fig. 6, now moves upwardly in a clockwise direction to engage a notch 27 in the lower edge of the corresponding bar 13 and the bar is then lifted by the series of crank pins 26.

A notch 14 of the bar 13 then engages the tube 25 which is being rotated by the first and second rows of discs 12. The bar 13 continues its movement upward and to the right to lift the tube thereon out of engagement with the continuously rotating discs 12, the various parts successively passing through the positions illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, and the bar 13 being at its extreme position to the right, as shownin Fig. 10, when it has again descended into engagement with the shafts 3, and the crank pins 26 being in position tobe disengaged from the notch 27 as the crank discs 15 continue to rotate. The tube 24 has now been positively transferred over the second row of discs 12 and is placed in the succeeding notch or pocket and is being rotated by the supporting discs.

The left-hand end of each bar 13 as viewed in the drawings is provided on each-side thereof with two spaced vertical plates 29 to form a guideway 30. A slidable member or shoe 31 extendin in a vertical plane has a vertical arm 32 that is bifurcated to provide a slot for receiving the end of the bar 13, the two arm portions extending into the guideways 30. The shoe 31 has a horizontal member 32a that is of such thickness as to be movable between the crank discs 15 of the adjacent pair. The member 32a is provided on its lower edge with a relatively short horizontal guide flange 32b which cooperates with a grooved guide 33.

The shoe 31 moves with the bar 13, and in Fig. 10 the shoe has been moved by the bar 13 to the right along the guide 33. The continued rotation of the crank discs 15 beyond'their positions illustrated in Fig. 10 causes the crank pin 26 of the crank discs at the left-hand end of the rack to engage the projecting end of the shoe 31 to operate in the manner of a cam to actuate the shoe 31 to the left toward its initial position.

The actuation of the shoe 31 by the crank pin 26 occurs simultaneously with the movement of the bar 13 to the left by the action of the shafts 3 on which it rests, and which tend to carry the bar 13 in this direction. If, however, the bar 13 should for any reason fail to be moved by the shafts 3, it will be positively moved to the left toward its initial position by means of the shoe 31. Return movement of the bar 13 is limited by an adjustable stop 34 which is engaged by the shoe 31. c

When the crank discs 15 occupy the position shown in Figs. 6 and 11, the motor 18 is brought to rest by a limit switch 35 and a brake 36. The various .parts of the transfer mechanism after each operation 'come to rest when they are in the positions illustrated in Fig. 11, which corresponds to thepositions of the parts in Fig. 6,

with the exception that the tube 25, shown in the pocket between the first and second rows of discs in Fig. 6, is now in the pocket between the second and third rows of discs for rotation thereby.

The limit switch 35, which is conventionally shown in Fig. .1, may be of any usual type which opens the circuit of the motor 18 at the end of each cycle of operation of the transfer mechanism. As is customary in installations of a similar character, the circuit of the motor is closed by the flag switch to initiate each cycle and is opened by the limit switch at the end of each cycle. Both operations are entirely automatic and are such as are commonly employed in connection with motor-operated devices.

The operation described above is continued for each succeeding hot tube that is supplied to the cooling rack, each actuation of the transfer mechanism operating to positively shift each tube on the rack laterally from one pocket to the succeeding pocket.

If for any reason it is considered desirable .to employ additional means for maintaining the vertical or upright positions of the several trans fer bars, the mechanism shown in Figs. 12 to 16 may be provided for this purpose. At suitable intervalsleach bar 13 may be provide with a flange 37 upon each side thereof, and upon which there is slidably suspended a guide block 38. The latter extends vertically downward between two adjacent shafts 3 and into a slot 39 in a stationary guide frame 40. 1

When the transfer bars 13 are moved by the with the shafts 3, the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 14. 4

The bar 13 is now transferred to its initial or stationary position by the shafts 3, and guide block 38 retums'with it to such extent as ispermitted by the shaft 3 to the left of the guide block, and which it engages before the bar 13 has completed its return movement.

However, throughout the entire movementof each of the bars 13 the guide blocks 38 retain them in their vertical or upright positions by' reason of their being held in vertical alignment by their guide frames40. The form of such retaining mechanism must be such as to permit,

relatively free movement of the bars 13 without being projected into the paths of tubes on the cooling rack, and it must be operative in the relatively narrow spaces between adjacent shafts.

It will be appreciated that while the tubes are in position in their respective pockets between rows of discs 12, the latter rotate continuously to rotate the tubes thereon at any desired speed, which may be entirely independent of the speed of the transfer mechanism or the frequency with which it operates. This arrangement, which is extremely flexible, permits the discs 12 to be operated at such relatively high speed that the tubes thereon may be cooled uniformly on all sides thereof, whereby substantially any danger of'warping or bowing of the tubes is eliminated. The relatively rapid rotation of the tube also reduces the time required ,for cooling.

In view of the fact that thetubes are suped upon fairly rigid parallel shafts, the notches or pocketsbetween the respective pairs of rows of discs are always in alignment, and there is no tendency for tubes thereon to become bent or distorted by reason of misalignment of the various parts in engagement with the tubes.

The arrangement whereby the discs on sue-- cessive shafts are staggered with respect to those on the preceding shaft insures that no part of the relatively hot tube is unduly cooled by contact with its metallic supports for an undue length of time. The arrangement whereby the tubes are rotated regardless of their progressive forward movement enables the tubes to remain on the cooling rack for any desired time, or for such time as is permitted by the rate at which tubes are delivered to the rack. In the cooling racks of the prior art it has been necessary "to advance the tubes on the rack in order to-rotate them, regardless of whether or not additional tubes were being received.

Tubes that are cooled on the cooling rack of my invention are uniformly free from such defects as have been caused heretofore by the cooling of certain portions at a higher rate than others, and accordingly the percentage of defective tubes because of lack of uniform cooling is reduced to a minimum. A cooling rack constructed in accordance with my invention is economical inmanufacture and operation.

Furthermore, the rack may be adjusted to conditionsin the mill in which it is located in that it may be operated horizontally, or it may be inclined either upwardly or downwardly within certain limits, as desired. A pit or other excavation, which has been necessary in connection with chains, is entirely unnecessary, and this com-- paratively large item of expense in connectionwith prior installations is thereby avoided.

I claim:

1. A cooling rack for cylindrical articles, comprising a series of sets of continuously rotating membersfor engaging and supporting said articles thereon, and intermittently operable means for disengaging said articles from one set of said supporting members therefor and positively transferring them to another position in engagement with another set of supporting members.

2. A cooling rack for cylindrical articles, comprising a plurality of parallel rows of rotatable discs arranged side-by-side with the discs of each row staggered with respect to and overlapping those of adjacent rows whereby articles may be supported and rotated in the series of aligned pockets thus formed, and means for periodically lifting articles in said pockets and positively transferring them to other of said pockets.

3. A cooling rack for cylindrical articles, comprising a plurality of rows of rotatable discs, said rows being parallel and side-by-side, and the discs of adjacentrows, being staggered and overlapping each other whereby a series of aligned notches are formed for supporting articles for rows being parallel and side-by-side, and the discs of adjacent rows .being staggered and overlapping each other whereby a series of aligned notches are formed for supporting articles for rotation therein, and means comprising "a plurality of simultaneously operable members that haveyrecesses therein for receiving said articles,

said members being operable to lift said articles from the notches occupied by them and positively transfer them toother of said notches. I

5.-A cooling rack for cylindrical articles, comprising a plurality of rows of rotatable discs, said rows being parallel and side-by-side, and the discs of adjacent rows being staggered and overlapping each other whereby a series of aligned notches are formed for supporting articles for rotation therein, and means comprising a plurality of intermittently movable lifting bars for positively transferring each article in the respective notches to a succeeding notch whereby said articles advance progressively and successively o rotating the discs of the several rows in the same direction to rotate the tubes thereon, and means for advancing a tube progressively on said rack, said means comprising a plurality of bars for periodically lifting the tube and positively placing it between succeeding rows of discs.

'7. A cooling rack for cylindrical articles, comprising a series of parallel shafts having discs thereon of such diameter that the discs on' each shaft overlap those of an adjacent shaft with which they are staggered, means for driving all of said shafts in the same direction, transfer mechanism for articles supported on said discs between pairs of adjacent shafts, said mechanism comprising notched members for lifting said articles over at least one row of discs to another position, and means for actuating said notched members at intervals and at a rate of movement that are independent of the speed of said shafts and said discs.

ticles over at least one row of discs to another position, and means for actuating said notched members at intervals and at a. rate of movement that are independent of the speed of said shafts and said discs, said actuating means comprising crank members rotatably mounted on certain of said shafts.

9. A cooling rack for cylindrical articles, comprising a series of parallel shafts having discs thereon of such diameter that the discs on each shaft overlap those of an adjacent shaft with which they are staggered, means for driving all of said shafts in the same direction, transfer mechanism for articles supported on said discs between pairs of adjacent shafts, said mechanism comprising notched members for lifting said articles over at least one row of discs to another position, crank members rotatably mounted on said shafts for lifting said notched members and actuating them to move articles transversely, and means for actuating said crank members shafts or the discs thereon.v

10. A cooling rack for cylindrical articles, comprising a series of parallel shafts having discs thereon ofsuch diameter that the discs on each shaft overlap those of an adjacent shaft with which they are staggered, means for driving all of said shafts in the same direction; transfer mechanism for articles supported on said discs between pairs of adjacent shafts, said mechanism comprising notched members extending lengthwise of said rack and transversely of saidshafts, spaced crank discs on each side of said members and rotatably mounted on certain of said shafts for lifting said members and actuating them endwise until they are lowered into engagement with said shafts for return thereby toward their initial positions, means actuated by at least one of said crank discs for each notched member for insuring the return movement of said member, and means operable independently of the speed of said shafts for intermittently actuating said crank discs.

11. A cooling rack for cylindrical articles, comprising a series of rotatable shafts having means thereon for supporting said articles, and transfer mechanism for said articles comprising bars transverse to said shafts, means for moving said bars from one longitudinal position to another in engagement with said shafts to be retlu'ned by the latter to their initial positions, and means for controlling the operation of the actuating means' 12. A cooling rack for cylindrical articles, comprising a series of rotatable shafts having means thereon for supporting said articles, and transfer mechanism for said articles comprising bars transverse to said shafts, means for actuating said bars from one longitudinal position to 'another in engagement with said shafts to he returned by the later to their initial positions, and means comprising a limit switch for limiting each operation of'the actuating means to a complete cycle.

13. A rack for cooling cylindrical articles, com- 14. A rack for cooling cylindrical articles, comprising discs arranged in cooperating pairs to form a series of successive parallel stations for supporting said articles individually, means for rotating said discs to continuously rotate the articles on their axes while they are being supported at their several stations, and means in addition to said discs for intermittently moving said articles transversely from station to station.

15. A rack for cooling cylindrical articles, comprising discs arranged in cooperating pairs to form a series of successive parallel stations for supporting said articles individually, means for rotating said discs to continuously rotate thearticles on their axes while they are being supported at their several stations, and means for intermittently elevating said articles above said discs and moving them transversely from station to station.

, 16. A rack for cooling cylindrical articles,'comprising discs arranged in cooperating pairs to form a series of successive parallel stations for supporting said articles individually, means for rotating said discs to continuously rotate the articles on their axes while they are being supported at their several stations, and a plurality of bars for intermittently engaging and moving said articles transversely from station to station.

. AUGUST P. DIESCHER. 

